Nearing Laoshi's shop...

The fresh near wintery early afternoon sunshine felt tepid on Cole's back as he leapt with ease from adjacent building to adjacent building,his long and powerful legs were making great strides and his arms pumping a bit for speed,which he meant to keep at an effectual level as he kept a close watch up to the hazy blue sky and off to the side of the two dragons he had been keeping track with since just a couple of hours ago.

Eventually these two will have to lead me to the skulls,he reinforced the already worn thought in his mind,And once I get everyone out of view of them,I'll take'em.

Suddenly,he witnessed them veer down in a swooping move and land together in an almost perfect unison atop what he realised was his great grandfather's shop.Without giving it a second thought,Cole sought out a place to become hidden behind a small shed-like building on the roof over.Catiously,he tilted his head around just enough to make out the two discussing something quickly and then head into a inclosed stairwell that went down;but not before shifting back to their normal forms as they exited.

To just be supplied with powers like that,Cole thought with some coverted idolatry and emerged around the tall little structure in attire similiar to the black one he used to wear,though when he had designed it he had gone with merely a midnight blue fabric.There was another reason for his disguise,other then just to avoid exposure.

The previous night...

Cole sat leaning back in a delicately crafted wooden chair in the spare room his future grandparents had let him stay in,shifting on the back legs with one foot propped up againist a desk as he was taking a little extra time to try his best at completing his already three-day late assignment,though at the back of his mind there were ideas and thought concerning the skulls rolling around;aimless.

He heard the light squeak of the door hinges moving."I just got done looking at an old photo of you and Jake nine years ago,"Haley's rational voice was what cut off his general musing."You don't have cousin Brandon's facial structure."

Without too much surprise,Cole merely let the front legs lower a bit and a slight smirk crossed his visage.Though it had only been brief,he had noticed the young girl studying him consideringly from the corner of his eye as he followed Mrs. Long up the stairs earlier that evening and had known she had a uniqueness.

"Not bad,not bad,"He finally commented with a partially impressed note to his voice."You're on the right track,do you have more proof to contribute Haley?"

"I can tell your related to us somehow."The child went on circumventingly as she ventured in a little further."You're Jake's age and everything.Are you a dragon?"

This time her probbing annoyed him."Don't you have homework of your own?"

"It's already done."She replied with some pride glowing in her words and took a moment to draw her attention to his own work."I'll help you as soon as you tell me how your really related to us and whether or not you have a dragon form?"

"I know about them but I was born without their powers."

"But...But that's impossible!"Haley proclaimed in shock.

Cole,who was adeptly managing to keep his cool,explained to her impartly as he set aside his book and turned a bit to the side as he started to unwrap the white bandaging around his artifical arm."There's no such thing as impossiblity,kid. Only the weak-minded and those without a life believe in that empty word."

Quite suddenly there was only silence that filled the room as he could feel the girl's tiny black eyes falling in one direction in particular.There were only a very small amount of things that ever caused him to get angered anymore and one of them was when people didn't concentrate on what he was saying and focused more on the only last visible part of his past,the remnants of Black Reign.

A shadowed look fell across Cole's face."Leave,"he told her in a voice marked by low,struggling bitterness."Get out of my doorway and be gone before I-"

"I only asked."The eight-year-old stated in a controlled manner."I won't again."

Presently...

The memory only served him little encouragement he noted,as he stepped forward and hopped down to the alley's floor way.Brushing himself off absentmindedly,he went up to the back door and gave a few medium knocks.After a little time and not bothering to make a huge stunt out of it,stepped up onto the knob and perched himself on the top of the opening door.Once a boy whom greatly resembled Wendy's boyfriend stuck his head out,Cole took a leap into the space provided above him.

"Uh...hello?"The boy called out in some confusion."Hello?Is this the pizza guy?"

While he continued his search for the source of the knocking,Cole strolled in a bit of a leisurely manner around the back.It was dimly lit with clusteres of boxs,dust gathered merchandise and covers that were falling off of books.Nothing too different then he remembered.With his mind set sharp and straight,he dutifully began poking around in some of the most obvious places but nearly four minutes he had turned up skull-less.

Finishing his apprasial of the room,he stood back ways in the middle and touched his chin in thought.Where would dragons keep something that could exterminate them?He had long since given up on the idea these creatures were mindless pieces of meat and with that noted,he began thinking about where he might hide them if it were him in the situtation.A few more seconds of contemplation and he struck on a idea he liked.

"Spud!"A somewhat shrill female voice came and thinking on his feet,Cole made a very silent few steps back into a dark corner betwixt a bookcase and a cluttered table."I can't believe you're still back here,isn't there anybody there or did they leave already?"

Well,I guess I know where Josh gets his good looks from now.He thought wryly as an African American girl around their age strided up to the other boy with purpose.

Spud turned to the girl with a troubled look creasing his brow."But Trix,I really did hear knocking.Hmm,"he suddenly turned thoughtful."Maybe tiny people living in my head..."

"Listen."Trixie sighed with some tolerance,her umber eyes growing serious."You didn't hear in the front because you were back here but since the Huntsman is going to have a full army of Huntsclan coming here tommorow,were gonna relocate the skulls."

Cole's breath caught at this news but only intensified his diligent listening.This is it...

"Hey guys."Jake's voice intervened and he soon appeared in a foot from the doorway,informing in a bit of a rushed tone."We need to get everything organized now."

"But what about the Aztec altar?Aren't they waiting for it anymore?"Spud put in,a slight unmotivated catch to his tone."I don't get why they won't wait out the next two days."

The American Dragon shook his head slowly."Not any more.Apparently someone has tipped off old Huntspunk that it's just some myth.We're taking the skulls out of New York and are going to stow them in the one place that they don't know about..."

Which is...?Cole mutely urged his father,some anxiousness building in him.

"Draco Isle."Trixie finished for him,folding her arms confidently across her chest.

Suddenly,memories from his past experience in that place resurfaced and he felt his mouth become a little agape.It was the exact place that both him and his sister had very nearly involuntarily almost had their lifes tooken away,it was when he had been so ignorant with thinking his great uncle would try and free him because of his great contributation to the Huntsclan but mostly,it had been where Cole had become rogue.

"Yeah,were leaving now."Jake told them and then paused to look from one face to the other,then spoke with finality."Guys,this could be it and it's getting serious.I don't won't y'all feeling like your being forced into this."he sighed."I don't think you should come."

Try as he might,Cole couldn't help but allow himself the prospecful idea of just giving up on the whole idea altogether and letting them take care of it.The Dragon Council was a formidable force to be dealt with and knowing how dead set all other magical creatures were in trying to prevent their doom from occuring,he very nearly allowed the old and familiar feeling of apathey to these things fall back.It would be so easy...just to tell go inform Wendy on his newly obtained knowledge and then leave.Leave a past that could just as simply resolve itself without either of the two of them meddling.It was logical.

"No way,Man."Spud's ambitious voice rattled him out of his reverie and he refocused to see the determination pledged on his and Trixie's faces."We started this whole thing with you and were not giving up until it's over with.Besides,we'd be totally bored otherwise."

Josh's future mother gave a bold nod."Remember...friends for life and friends for real."

You see,it is believed that your line of blood is that of a gifted one and since this generation is the youngest and most determined,the time has come for the ultimate test...Magic and humanity cannot survive without each other.

The willowy voice returned to his mind and casted the unpleasant flash of realisation into him again.Causing him to re-examine the siutation once more.The fate of magical creatures weren't the only ones on the line,it was also to humans as well.All his life,he recalled with some heaviness,he had been a threat to everyone and not only to others but to himself as well.But was his past still haunting him?Had he not made his amends?

"Thanks guys."Jake's voice reflected gratitude and brought him once again back to reality."It's gonna be tough but I know if we set our minds to it we can pull it off."

Cole watched as the three returned to the front and giving in to doing what felt right instead of what he thought was right,crossed from his crevice and over to the still opened door.He knew what he was going to do now and that was to wait until the next day before he set out to Draco Isle again to find a way to retrieve the skulls but in the meantime he was going to cease his drifting behaviour and actually do something meaningful with his life for the first time.Something that was suppose to be doing.

"He's too deadly for redemption..."His father's long ago words rang through out his head.

A defiant grin crossed the fourteen-year-old's features from beneath his mask."I'm going to prove you wrong,Dad.I'm going to prove all those wrong who believed in impossiblity."

But reaching into his pocket and pulling out the dream charm Wendy had insisted he take not long before parting ways,the idea of using it to get in contact with Arceila came to be.

And I will,Cole promised resolutely.Just as soon as I can figure out myself.

To Be Continued...

A/N:Yes,if it isn't already obvious he's still struggling with his past but things really pick up next chapter thats for sure.Stay tuned...

LP